Need to resolve the mystery of the hen not laying... she's only 14 months young!

[AliBia]

She religiously sits in the nest for an hour, saunters back in the yard, and no egg!!

Vafa, my Saphire hen (light blue colour eggs) has had a pretty good laying account till now. Do hens give a long break in between laying? Not stressed, eats healthy, not bullied, not broody nor egg bound, neither has any external parasites, fine comb - but no egg!

I initially put it to the heat wave, but the rest of the flock is all okay and going about their usual business. Eating, drinking, laying and being merry. Her sibling is laying five times a week.

Vafa is merry too, and doing all the right things, except laying. I also wondered if she is eating her own egg. I check the nest for wet patches or signs, but remain clueless.

SO I return to the forum of the wise folks.
What could be the possible reason?

Her egg laying since she started in December is as follows
Dec 15, Jan 23, Feb 20, Mar 26, Apr 24, May 19, Jun 15, and this month she only laid on the 3rd - and nothing since.

Please help resolve the mystery.

 

[rosemarythyme]

How old is she? (never mind it's in the title!)

It sounds like she's a sporadic layer as it is given the dates listed. Hens do take breaks and heat can certainly affect them. Even if the others aren't as affected by heat, doesn't mean that this bird isn't.

 

[AliBia]

How old is she? (never mind it's in the title!)

It sounds like she's a sporadic layer as it is given the dates listed. Hens do take breaks and heat can certainly affect them. Even if the others aren't as affected by heat, doesn't mean that this bird isn't.

Thank you rosemarythyme. Your'e right in saying that this bird is possibly affected by the heat, even if others are okay. We do forget at times that they are individuals and their behaviour/bodies/habits reflect that.
I felt befuddled by her sitting in the nest each day and not laying. It's her thing perhaps to get over the heat stress.

Thanks again!

 

[LaFleche]

Feel her lower belly between her legs, does it appear bloated compared to the other hens? And if so, rather hard or more soft like a water filled balloon?

She might have problems with her tube catching the follicles each time as they are released from the ovary, so the ones that are missed in between her laying an egg will build up in her abdomen.

Has she shown sings of a cold as chick or young pullet? IB presents as a cold with some sneezing and can leave their reproductive tract messed up.

 

[AliBia]

Feel her lower belly between her legs, does it appear bloated compared to the other hens? And if so, rather hard or more soft like a water filled balloon?

She might have problems with her tube catching the follicles each time as they are released from the ovary, so the ones that are missed in between her laying an egg will build up in her abdomen.

Has she shown sings of a cold as chick or young pullet? IB presents as a cold with some sneezing and can leave their reproductive tract messed up.

Thanks for getting back LaFleche. She's never had IB or any sneezes that I've ever observed.
Yes, while giving her a bum shampoo yesterday, I did notice her lower belly - soft but bloated more than any of my other hens.
What can I do to help her? There are no avian vets around me.

 

[LaFleche]

Thanks for getting back LaFleche. She's never had IB or any sneezes that I've ever observed.
Yes, while giving her a bum shampoo yesterday, I did notice her lower belly - soft but bloated more than any of my other hens.
What can I do to help her? There are no avian vets around me.

If she indeed is laying internally there is not much one can do about it but to check her regularly and when the time comes that the internal pressure will make her breathing difficult and she starts to suffer, help her out of the misery.

 

[AliBia]

If she indeed is laying internally there is not much one can do about it but to check her regularly and when the time comes that the internal pressure will make her breathing difficult and she starts to suffer, help her out of the misery.

Thanks ever so much La Fleche Much gratitude for your insight.

 

[AliBia]

If she indeed is laying internally there is not much one can do about it but to check her regularly and when the time comes that the internal pressure will make her breathing difficult and she starts to suffer, help her out of the misery.

I culled her this morning, didn't want her condition to worsen.
The soft sac was full of clear liquid, and a dozen or so smaller follicles and yolks of varying sizes. It looked like a displaced ovary, even though there were follicle clusters where they usually are. The liver looked paler than usual... I am glad to have seen what was happening within.
Thank you so much for your guidance LaFleche.

 

[LaFleche]

I culled her this morning, didn't want her condition to worsen.
The soft sac was full of clear liquid, and a dozen or so smaller follicles and yolks of varying sizes. It looked like a displaced ovary, even though there were follicle clusters where they usually are. The liver looked paler than usual... I am glad to have seen what was happening within.
Thank you so much for your guidance LaFleche.

Yes, sometimes it is better to cull and get to the bottom of the issue than trying to treat what is not treatable and having the bird suffering through our well meant intentions.

Did you take any pictures during your home necropsy for us to help identify what the root cause might have been?

 

[Bigdumogre]

I'm sorry you had to cull her i bet it was hard. But we know it was for the better.